Eastbound and Down

[Russ]

Why now? After all this time? Here's why, motherfucker:


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[MadMan]

Season 1 may finally be avaliable to me on Netflix after a long wait. I've seen a couple episodes from Season 2 because my friend has HBO and is a huge fan, and I have loved what I've viewed.

[Russ]

"Bitches..."

HEeOLr-ffkw

[Russ]

"Call me Dad"

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[Henry Gale]

There's not much more I can say, or at least articulate new blurbs of praise for it. But still, it may just be the best comedy on TV, and at this current time for me, it actually has some competition for that title.

[EyesWideOpen]

season 1 is on sale for $9.99 at amazon right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Eastbound-Down-Complete-First-Season/dp/B001IBIDLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1290734947&sr=8-1

[Russ]

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1822/ebdsteveaaron.jpg

[Qrazy]

Win.

[Russ]

"Twenty two thousand dollars worth of bread crumbs"

QBQdP-UveP0

[Henry Gale]

Listening to McBride and Hill on the Creative Screenwriting podcast, it's kind of amazing how they wrote and shot Season 2. It just seems like they (and Shawn Harwell) basically just did the whole thing in a room for a month straight, just structuring it as one long script, then later on finding the best points to split it as individual episodes. Then they filmed it basically location by location, with their first day starting with stuff from episode four, but then from there filming things for episodes all around that may have used the same locations. I think they said they shot the whole season in 35 days.

Also, some of the ideas they didn't use along the way are pretty amazing just to hear. You can hear it here (castroller.com/podcasts/CreativeScreenwriting/1930572-Eastbound%20%20%20Down%20Q%20A ).

[Russ]

Ok, last clip for now. This has got to be the highlight of Season 1.

"Work drugs"


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[Kurosawa Fan]

Watched the first two episodes of season two last night. You guys were right. I'm glad I did. Some really big laughs throughout.

[Russ]

Watched the first two episodes of season two last night. You guys were right. I'm glad I did. Some really big laughs throughout.

Ok, then, this is the last one..

O2JNl_uEEUc


I can't wait til you've watched both seasons. You are in for a big treat.

[Ezee E]

Watched the first two episodes of season two last night. You guys were right. I'm glad I did. Some really big laughs throughout.
Yeah, it's a short and sweet season, but now I can't wait for the next season, whereas before I was like you until I saw that midget character.

[number8]

What the hell? Just read that Season 3 will feature appearances by Jason Sudeikis, Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cera. That can't be right.

[number8]

S3 teaser, by the way:

http://www.hbo.com/video/video.html/?autoplay=true&vid=1206794&filter=eastbound-and-down&view=null

[D_Davis]

What the hell? Just read that Season 3 will feature appearances by Jason Sudeikis, Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cera. That can't be right.

Ugh. What's the point?

[Henry Gale]

What the hell? Just read that Season 3 will feature appearances by Jason Sudeikis, Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cera. That can't be right.

Well I think Sudeikis is actually meant be there the whole season like Michael Pena last year. Otherwise, I can only assume the rest will play themselves as Kenny finds himself back into the world of high profile party-going and Hollywood schmoozing. I know very little about the actual story for the season, but that's my best guess.

I also hope that Cera and Eisenberg show up together.

[EyesWideOpen]

I also hope that Cera and Eisenberg show up together.

That would be awesome if they were playing the same character and they just switched them during scenes.

[EyesWideOpen]

I just watched the first three episodes of season 1 and didn't laugh once. I'm gonna assume this show isn't my cup of tea.

[Milky Joe]

What tipped you off?

[EyesWideOpen]

I meant it more in a disappointed way. I like the people involved and it seemed right up my alley. I bought the first two seasons during black friday so I'll at least finish season 1 and hope I start digging it.

[EyesWideOpen]

I finished season 1 and watched the first episode of season 2. I'm still not sold on it but it's short enough that I figure I'll see it through since I bought them.

[Milky Joe]

I personally laughed more times than I could count, and have found that it only got funnier on subsequent viewings. Nearly everything that comes out of Kenny's mouth is gold. Stevie maybe even moreso.

[Thirdmango]

this really is one of the strangest shows because on this forum and seemingly everywhere else it's either "I couldn't stop laughing" or "I just don't get it". I am on the just don't get it side. There's no in between.

[monolith94]

This show is freaking amazing. It basically answers the question of: what happens if a bad person gets depression? This. This is what happens.

[EyesWideOpen]

I ended up finishing Season 2. I still don't know how I feel about the series. It had it's moments and it was good enough that I watched through both seasons in a week but I didn't really connect with it or find it funny enough for me to say it's a show I really liked. I watched season 2 of The League right after and it's a far funnier show.

[Henry Gale]

Aaah, it's so good to have this show back. As much as I love Parks & Recreation, Community, Louie, It's Always Sunny, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Delocated, Happy Endings, 30 Rock, and so on, I'm pretty sure this is still my favourite comedy on TV.

Hopefully having eight episodes this time around means that they really want to take the time to end the series properly.

[Thirdmango]

to end the series properly.

Is it confirmed this is the last season?

[Milky Joe]

"You are on fire tonight!"
"Yeah. You know why?"
"Why?"
"....pills."

[Henry Gale]

Is it confirmed this is the last season?

I don't think it's set in stone 100% since HBO hasn't advertised the idea of it as "The Final Season" like they have with other shows of theirs (especially since it's only the second time it's been a returning series), but Hill and McBride have been saying since the show first got renewed that they envisioned it as a three-season arc. Even as recently as last year's Paley Fest they talked about with Season 3 being the ending of the series.

Now that doesn't mean that a fourth season or even something like a movie will absolutely never happen, but it's probably similar to how HBO has told Flight of the Conchords that they'd be open to making a third season of that show if the guys ever wanted to, but right now they've moved on.

[number8]

Woo, finally watched it. Sudeikis fit in way better than I thought he would.

[Ezee E]

That episode was gold. Looking forward to Sudeikis.

[Acapelli]

that was super weird

i liked it

[Lucky]

Yeah, I liked it a lot as well. Kenny and April's carnival romp was awesome. Missed Stevie, glad he's back next ep.

Still haven't jumped on the Sudeikis bandwagon, however. He's not bad, just find him overrated.

[Henry Gale]

General reaction to this second episode seems extremely mixed, but personally I can't remember the last time I laughed so consistently during a single half hour of TV. So much amazing, insane stuff to be crammed into a single plotline while somehow still making sense. Even if some things like Stevie as Cherry Blossom didn't completely work for me, there was still a dozen other bits that went on in that scene alone that killed me.

[number8]

I was thinking that it was going a little too broad, more of Will Ferrel's brand of humor than the Jody Hill/DGG variety, which is a bit of a stray, but then the last scene brought it all home. Reminds me of the diner scene at the end of Pineapple Express.

[Acapelli]

it was a littles too weird to be in the will ferrell/adam mckay camp of humor. the whole dinner scene was a lot more tim & eric-esque if anything. pretty unsettling stuff

"go wash for your father"

[Acapelli]

but still completely hilarious

[ledfloyd]

i'm hardly what you would call a fan, so take my opinion for what it's worth, but i thought this was easily the show's worst episode.

[Milky Joe]

That scene in episode 4 between Gambon and Hoffman was pure acting sex. I'd like to get a transcript of that shit.

[Qrazy]

That scene in episode 4 between Gambon and Hoffman was pure acting sex. I'd like to get a transcript of that shit.

The bad news is you're in the wrong thread. The good news is while trying to decipher this you turned me onto Luck, which looks good. Thanks. :)

[Milky Joe]

Jeeze, and I was almost entirely sober when I made that mistake.

But glad to hear it. Not to take away from this thread's subject though

[Ezee E]

Oh man, that was unexpected and hilarious

[Lucky]

"Got something for you. Friends. Season 6. Criterion collections." :lol:

[Henry Gale]

It may start to get repetitive to come in here beaming every week, but that may just happen if this show keeps things this good. Another fantastic episode, likely the best of the season so far. Great blend of all the characters (particularly the interactions between Shane and Stevie), the light and the dark comedy weaving into each other beautifully all the way to the end, plus a great and unexpected McConaughey guest spot to spare.

I love how the show can even tie together the most seemingly silly and superfluous dialogue into significant foreshadowing-y subtext. Particularly this week, after two episodes of Kenny and Shane arguing about who's who when it comes to them envisioning them as Maverick and Goose from Top Gun, Kenny eventually becomes adamant that he's Tom Cruise, leaving Shane to the same sudden fate as Anthony Edwards in that movie (though with more coke).

[number8]

Yeah, this episode was simply amazing, and I think the first one this season to feel like it's actually building towards the end of the series.

"Look at how cute he is. I fuckin' hate him."

[Milky Joe]

The last scene of this episode made me want to come here and mention (I might have even mentioned it before, too lazy to look) that this show has some of the best (and by that I mean most accurate) depictions of drug use ever. It's all in the editing and music. The school-dance scene in the first season was a brilliant depiction of being on ecstasy, for example. Danny McBride's acting also has a lot to do with it. For instance, his subtle change in mood in the last episode after taking a bong hit was pitch-perfect.

[Qrazy]

The last scene of this episode made me want to come here and mention (I might have even mentioned it before, too lazy to look) that this show has some of the best (and by that I mean most accurate) depictions of drug use ever. It's all in the editing and music. The school-dance scene in the first season was a brilliant depiction of being on ecstasy, for example. Danny McBride's acting also has a lot to do with it. For instance, his subtle change in mood in the last episode after taking a bong hit was pitch-perfect.

Can't say I really agree with that. The visuals did not sufficiently convey the state of being on ecstasy and all it's sensory ramifications. The time shifting was a start but it isn't a robust expression of the experience.

Still I'd agree that it is better than a lot of other expressions of drug use in TV/film.

[Milky Joe]

I thought the visuals reflected the subtle sensory ramifications of MDMA perfectly, like the nerdy kid dancing all weirdly, or seemingly weirdly. I'm not sure what you're looking for; MDMA is not acid.

[Qrazy]

I thought the visuals reflected the subtle sensory ramifications of MDMA perfectly, like the nerdy kid dancing all weirdly, or seemingly weirdly. I'm not sure what you're looking for; MDMA is not acid.

I'm looking for the feeling you get in the peaks when the focus of your attention overwhelms your senses and you feel drawn to that object in order to soak in whatever sensory aspects it is exuding. A more pronounced expression of euphoria in Powers would be nice also.

[Milky Joe]

I'm looking for the feeling you get in the peaks when the focus of your attention overwhelms your senses and you feel drawn to that object in order to soak in whatever sensory aspects it is exuding. A more pronounced expression of euphoria in Powers would be nice also.

But that's exactly what happens. He walks in, looks around and takes in the scene, and the slow motion mimics the way your attention gets drawn; then he sees April, fixates on her and is literally drawn directly toward her, in order to soak in "her big tits," you might say. It's great.

Plus I'd say, as far as euphoria goes, this is Kenny Powers we're talking about, so it wouldn't be quite the same as a normal person's expression of euphoria. But I think his line, "what better place to declare my love than surrounded by little angels?" is about as euphoric as you'll ever see him.

[Qrazy]

But that's exactly what happens. He walks in, looks around and takes in the scene, and the slow motion mimics the way your attention gets drawn; then he sees April, fixates on her and is literally drawn directly toward her, in order to soak in "her big tits," you might say. It's great.

The overall rhythm is there but not the stylistic nuance to communicate the experience. I'm talking about formally expressing the feeling of being somewhere on M. Let's say you're outside listening to music and then you see a tree branch swaying in the wind as if in time with that music and you move towards it and grasp it. The feeling you experience when you grasp it. And the vibrancy of that object in your sensory perception. I'm not saying the scene in the show should have been played differently I just don't think the creators have the formal verve to be able to express this content.

Oliver Stone is very good at stylistically expressing bad trips for instance, even when his characters aren't on drugs. Natural Born Killers, U Turn and a few other films.

[Milky Joe]

Well, he's not outside looking at a tree, he's at a middle-school dance. But I guess we'll just have to disagree, what a surprise. I think the creators have a tremendous amount of formal verve, and it shows in that scene.

Definitely agree with you about Stone. He's the best.

Edit: Think of April as the tree branch. He wants to grasp it, he attempts to grasp it, and fails miserably. Thus his failure is all the more comic.

[Adam]

Best depiction of any kind of drug use in any movie/tv show I've seen is when the kid smokes pot at his Bar Mitzvah in A Serious Man

[Qrazy]

Best depiction of any kind of drug use in any movie/tv show I've seen is when the kid smokes pot at his Bar Mitzvah in A Serious Man

I remember that being pretty good, yeah.

[Milky Joe]

I'll have to (finally) watch that.

[Milky Joe]

This show...

[Acapelli]

the fireworks scene was incredible

[Qrazy]

The reveal of Kenny's mom was great too.

Also... "I'd rather drop him down a well."

[number8]

Yeah, did that leak? I never heard about it and that was a very good surprise.

[Qrazy]

Yeah, did that leak? I never heard about it and that was a very good surprise.

Not sure, it was a surprise to me as well though.

[Lucky]

"I feel like my life is Requiem for a Dream. And I have front row tickets to the ass to ass scene. And Toby's the dildo. And I'm both the assholes." :lol:

I thought Kenny's mom was gonna be Joan Rivers from behind.

[Qrazy]

I have to say I really like the arc/approach of this season. The first two seasons just had Kenny be a freewheeling asshole with almost zero repercussions. This time many characters actually call him on his bullshit and he suffers for it.

[Derek]

I have to say I really like the arc/approach of this season. The first two seasons just had Kenny be a freewheeling asshole with almost zero repercussions.

You mean aside from having been embarrassed in front of the entire school and everyone he cared about and running away to Mexico in shame?

Haven't seen any of Season 3 yet, but I'll marathon through it soon enough.

[slqrick]

I have to say I really like the arc/approach of this season. The first two seasons just had Kenny be a freewheeling asshole with almost zero repercussions. This time many characters actually call him on his bullshit and he suffers for it.

This is the last season right? Another great episode, and that fireworks scene was truly something. This show has the most evocative use of music that I've seen on TV in a while...gonna be sad to see it go.

[Acapelli]

i love the repeated use of "criterions collections"

[number8]

Can't believe it's ending in 3 episodes.

[Russ]

Ha ha, Stevie.

Man, I'm gonna miss this show when its gone.

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/StevieGlove.jpg

[D_Davis]

First episode of S3 is great. I didn't care for the second episode, though. Probably my least favorite of the show so far.

[Ezee E]

So what Criterions do you think kenny has?

Just caught up to the episode that reveals his mom. Great stuff in there. Curious to see how they'll end it all.

Favorite part was not finishing the McDonald's cheeseburger and dumping it on the grave.

[Henry Gale]

Damn, it really is starting to feel like they could wrap up this whole series nicely next week, and I don't know if I like that one bit.

[Acapelli]

FUCK BOB DUATO

[Milky Joe]

Old south! I'm old south!

[number8]

That episode was more exciting than any baseball movie I've ever seen.

[MadMan]

I actually saw the episode since it aired after Game of Thrones. Once this show ends I plan on going through all of the seasons, as every episode I've viewed has been hilarious. Will Ferrell in a wig=pure greatness, coupled of course with Kenny flipping off the fans as they boo and throw things at him.

[Lucky]

So it's over...slightly disappointed.

Wish they would have cut it with Kenny being dead. I know they poked fun of it, but that ending really makes no sense.

Great show that didn't overstay its welcome. I will remember it fondly. I also think this was its strongest year.

[Acapelli]

i don't know, i think it makes absolute perfect sense when you realize it's kenny powers, and a normal regular person like us

of course he would think that's the best course of action

[Milky Joe]

it WAS the right move. he would never have been able to maintain a family with april and be a big baseball star at the same time.

[Henry Gale]

Pretty much the perfect ending to easily one of my all-time favourite shows. The narrated bit in the ending section flows perfectly based on what we know in the moment because of how it seems, but then in retrospect it feels more like how Kenny would have wanted the movie (or television series) of his life and career to conclude, summarizing his rise and fall as some tragic arc that he ultimately made every choice in, giving his finger to the world all along the way.

But of course Eastbound & Down being the show it is, we also see the ugliness and the utter stupidity behind his major decision, and after witnessing the pain and grief he caused everyone he knew by leading them to believe he was dead (even if he eventually intends on correcting that with some), we come to understand he did it just to allow himself to make what should have been an extremely easy decision, something April even points out. He got to witness the world mourn him and eulogize him fondly, and from his perspective he didn't have to put in the work in the majors and eventually have to one day end his career once again. He always loved April, he obviously realized he cared for Toby, but to him, caring for the both of them was such a massive undertaking and struggle in itself, with or without a baseball comeback in the mix, that he'd have to be let alone without the world's eyes on him to make it a happy life for them.

The arc of the season, with his parents and Stevie and Maria in the mix, has lead him to clearly view the importance of family as something that absolutely outweighs fame and a self-aggrandizing career. So even though his ultimate way of displaying that, both to himself and April, is ridiculous and ill-conceived in almost every way, his heart is somehow still in the right place. It's just that he couldn't think of doing it any other way but faking his own death.
And that's why Kenny Powers is kind of a legend (even if that is as a beautifully idiotic television character rather than who he's become in the context of the show), because even if he does something terrible, we can always somewhat understand his side. If the show ends with this episode, it'll show that his intentions have definitely improved, even if his ways of acting on them probably never will.

[Milky Joe]

Nice post. Also, could we give Danny McBride some kind of award? He's amazing.

[number8]

Yeah, I don't see how that isn't the perfect ending for a guy like Kenny Powers.

As usual, he made up a mythical version of his life in his head, where I'm sure the hero had to face the screenplay-friendly third act dilemma that pits love against career.

[Lucky]

I don't know, apparently I'm judging too harshly. I just don't see how Kenny thinks he's going to hide out the rest of his life. Or why he would want to. Even with the change of heart.

Aside from that, I thought that the final voiceover was appropriately touching and really tied the whole story together. The epilogue wasn't funny enough to justify it for me, nor did it provide any new emotional satisfaction. In fact, I lost what I previously liked about the feeling of completion it had.

Not a deal-breaker by any means, just unnecessary.

[Ezee E]

Kenny Powers wasn't a MLB player. He knew it, and fixed it accordingly. Well done there.

Certainly he didn't think of the ramifications of what he had done, but since when had he ever done that? He'll be with the people he cares the most (and possibly cares for only).

A nice ending. Just a show I didn't want to end.

[number8]

I just don't see how Kenny thinks he's going to hide out the rest of his life. Or why he would want to. Even with the change of heart.

Well, he didn't want to. That's the point. In his self-aggrandizing way, he concocted a narrative where it came down to a hard choice between what he wants, which is baseball, and his responsibility, which is his family. In Kenny's mind, what he did was a grand sacrifice in the tradition of great heroes. It's the kind of thing warriors and secret agents do to keep their loved ones safe, and Kenny has always considered himself to be on that level of mythic status. From the very beginning, what defines Kenny Powers is that most of his problems can be easily solved by normal people, but Kenny almost involuntarily self-inflicts ridiculous scenarios because he thinks he's living the Iliad. That's why I think it's a better and more true-to-character ending than if he just straight up died.

[number8]

By the way, great use of Rogen. Excellent parody of what a coward's version of Kenny Powers would have been.

[Acapelli]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24037185/whoa.html

umm...no thank you

[Henry Gale]

Wait, is that official? And any indication if it's going to be a full-fledged television thing, or just something they'll have online? It would make sense if they wanted to expand into exclusive content HBO Go and have a proven property test it out.

Either way, I'm fine with Eastbound & Down staying as its three seasons, but I love the character enough that I'm fine with Hill, McBride & co. wanting to do more with him. Whether or not an entire animated spin-off series is the best way of keeping him alive, especially considering how much of what makes Kenny Powers work is the aesthetic of the original series, we'll see.

[number8]

HBO just announced 8 episodes for 4th season.

:|

[Milky Joe]

Well, I can think of worse surprises than that.

[EvilShoe]

What the fuck? I thought everyone (Green, Hill, McBride) had decided it was the final season? What the fuck? I'm quite happy with how the show ended.

[Henry Gale]

I mean, it's quite possibly my favourite comedy on television, so having more of it isn't something I'm against in any way. So even though it did end pretty perfectly, if McBride and Hill feel like they have somewhere to go with a fourth season, I definitely trust them at this point.

But I did see someone throw out the idea that this is likely the result of Larry David not wanting to do Season 9 of Curb and HBO desperately needing an established, successful half-hour show, despite having very few right now. They only have Veep, Girls and Enlightened coming back anytime soon, though at the same time I doubt they regret cancelling things like Hung and How To Make It In America either.

[EvilShoe]

McBride on season 4:

McBride acknowledged that he and co-creator Jody Hill had felt “very creatively fulfilled” by the way the third season ended, but that they started thinking about what they might do if the show continued. “Even as we were shooting the third season and Jody and I were like, ‘This is it,’ we still sort of were thinking ‘If we did do one more, this is sort of where it could go,’” he said. “We did have an idea for a sort of an epilogue to the show. [...] And for a while, we thought of this epilogue as something that was maybe like an hour and a half special, and the more we talked about it, the more we thought it could be one more season.”


McBride revealed that the new season would explore “what life would be like once April (Katy Mixon) and Kenny were together,” which is “what the third season was going to be” before Mixon’s commitment to Mike & Molly wound up conflicting with her involvement in Eastbound & Down. “That was the one story arc we felt like we were unable to finish the way we imagined,” McBride said. “What would that be like for Kenny Powers to finally get what he always wanted?” Happily, HBO was able to rearrange the schedule to get better access to Mixon in the new season, so she’ll feature more prominently in the upcoming episodes.


“We wouldn’t have signed up for it if we weren’t confident about being able to deliver something that won’t take away from what we’ve done, that will add to it and give us one last encore performance of this disgusting man,” McBride added. Head to HitFix (http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/exclusive-danny-mcbride-explains-what-to-expect-from-eastbound-and-down-season-four) to read more.

[Henry Gale]

Despite having been a while, this really is still coming back. Filming starts at the end of this month, so I'd assume it'll air sometime in the fall.

McBride described the basic thematic idea of this season as, "what happens to the hero after he rides off into the sunset?"

[number8]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbbSFX_NXho

[Ezee E]

Apparently Lindsay Lohan is an illegitimate daughter in this.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Real Life Kenny Powers Located (http://deadspin.com/real-life-kenny-powers-spotted-1551609831)